FR2465324A1 - BATTERY CONNECTOR WITH FLAT PROFILE - Google Patents

Abstract

A. BATTERY CABLE CONNECTOR. B. CONNECTOR 10 CHARACTERIZED IN THAT IT INCLUDES A LEAD BODY 24 PARTIALLY ENCAPSULATING A COPPER CORE ASSEMBLY 22 INCLUDING A RING 26 AND A TUBE 28, THE END OF THE TUBE BEING IN CONTACT WITH THE PERIPHERY OF THE RING IT -EVEN LOCATED IN A TANGENT TUBE PLAN, THE BODY 24 INCLUDING A FIRST WASHER-SHAPED PART 34 COMPLETELY ENCLOSING THE RING 26 AND DELIMING AN OPENING 58 TO RECEIVE THE BATTERY TERMINAL, THE THICKNESS OF THE WASHER 34 BEING LESS THAN INTERIOR DIAMETER OF TUBE 28, BODY 24 INCLUDING A SECOND PART 36 COMING IN ONE PIECE WITH THE FIRST AND ENCLOSING ONE END OF TUBE 28 WHICH THE OTHER END FORMED A BUSH 38 TO RECEIVE THE CABLE. C. THE INVENTION APPLIES TO FLAT BATTERY CONNECTORS.

Description

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  The invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly to improvements of connectors for interconnecting a battery cable on a battery element such as a terminal or a bar.

  In industrial battery installations,

  such as, for example, installations on electric powered vehicles, battery cables are typically used to connect the battery or group of batteries to equipment to be powered electrically, such as the vehicle drive system. Conventionally used for this purpose cable connectors attached to the ends of the cable away from the battery. For periodic battery charging operations, disconnect the cable connectors from the drive system or other equipment and connect them to the power supply.

place on a battery charger.

  Periodic replacement of the battery cables is necessary, in particular because of wear or damage to the removable cable connectors selectively used to connect the cables to the charger or drive system. Even if a cable connector is replaced without replacing the cable itself, this operation requires resizing or shortening the end of the cable furthest from the battery, and can only be a limited number of times before the cable becomes too

short and must be replaced.

  The battery connectors used to date have made the task of replacing battery cables very difficult, this task requiring the intervention of a specialist and the implementation of a different set of connectors to suit the various installations.

possible batteries.

  Typical battery connectors include a first portion for attachment to a battery terminal or a bar extending between a number of battery terminals. A second part of a connector

  typically includes a contact structure, usually

  killed by a contact crimped and intended to secure

to the battery cable.

  The connector is attached to the battery terminal

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  by an antogenous weld obtained heating the connector in place so as to corrugate the lead of the connector and the terminal. With these connectors according to the prior art, the replacement of a cable requires the availability of a

  new battery connector identical to the original connector.

  This may require a large set of different parts because

  a wide variety of connection configurations are used

  and link bars in the various battery installations. The original connector must also be removed and the new cable with its new connector installed by means of a heat seal operation that requires great care, skill and experience. Unwanted periods of equipment powered by the battery may result if the personnel available to service the

  battery is not able to carry out this delicate task.

  The object of the invention is to remedy the incon-

  discloses above connectors according to the prior art by creating a new advanced battery connector that can be easily attached to many types of existing battery installations, this connector allowing replacement

  cable, and which can be attached to

  existing batteries, without the need to

  Disassemble and remove the existing connectors or bars.

  For this purpose; the invention relates to a connection

  battery cable connector, characterized in that

  comprises a lead body partially encapsulating a set

  copper core, said core assembly comprising a ring and a tube in reciprocal contact with a point of the

  periphery of the ring adjacent to one end of the tube, the

  water being in a plane generally tangential to the tube, the body comprising a first portion in the form of a washer completely enclosing the ring and defining an opening for receiving the battery terminal: the thickness of this

  washer-shaped portion being smaller than the integral diameter

  of the tube, the body comprising a second part integrally formed with the first part and trapping one end of the tube, the other end of this tube extending from the second part of the body so as to form a

socket to receive the cable.

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  Other features and advantages of the invention will be more clearly demonstrated by the

  detailed description hereinafter referring to the drawings

  attached in which: - Figure 1 is a perspective view of a battery installation part using a connector according to the invention; FIG. 2 is a view from above of this connector; Figure 3 is a side view of this connector;

  FIG. 4 is a view from above of the

seems to core of the connector;

  FIG. 5 is a side view of this

seems to core;

  FIG. 6 is a view from above of the connection

  tor, wherein the encapsulated portion of the core assembly is shown in dashed lines;

  FIG. 7 is a side view of the connection

  in which the encapsulated part of the core set

is represented in dashes.

  The drawings represent a battery connector according to the invention, identified as a whole by the

  10. This connector 10 is for connecting a battery cable.

  12 to one or more terminals 14 of a battery installation comprising an accumulator battery or a group of batteries, only a part of which is shown on

  the drawings and identified as a whole by reference 16.

  In general, the connector 10 comprises a first part or contact 18 intended to be mounted on a battery terminal 14 or other battery element, and a second part or contact structure 20 intended to be connected to one end of the cable 12. The connector 10 comprises a sleeve or connecting portion 21 arranged between the parts

contact 18 and 20.

  If we consider a more detailed description of the

  connector 10 according to the invention, it comprises a set of-nucleus identified as a whole by the reference 22. This core assembly 22 is made of a relatively solid metal and very good conductor of electricity, such as

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  preferably copper, this core set 22 being partially

  encapsulated in a metal body resistant to corrosion and good conductor of electricity, such as preferably lead to antimony, this body being identified as a whole by the reference 24. Very advantageously, the connector 10 has an extremely flat profile, that is to say a height

  very low vertical, this characteristic being made pos-

  by the orientation of the different parts of the core assembly 22. This assembly 22 comprises a conductive ring 26

  and a tube 28. A point 26A, located on the periphery of the

  water 26, is adjacent to a first end 28A of the tube 28.

  In addition, the ring 26 lies in a plane substantially tangential to the tube 28. The axis of the ring and the axis of the tube therefore extend in transverse directions, and

  the axis of the tube is offset from the plane of the ring.

  To obtain a current path of low electrical resistance between the contact portions 18 and 20 of the connector m0, and to reinforce the strength of the latter,

  the ring 26 and the tube 28 are fixed to each other.

  In the embodiment of the invention shown here, this connection is made by means of a screw fastener 30. In the peripheral zone situated around the point 26A, the ring 26 is provided with a radial tab 32. The tab covers a portion of the wall of the tube 28 at its end 28A, and is preferably curved so as to completely cover the wall of the tube. The fastener 30 passes through the tab 32 and is screwed into the wall of the tube 28 to ensure a

  mechanical and electrical contact of good quality ..

  To ensure good resistance to corrosion

  battery terminal 14 and the other current-carrying elements of the battery normally consist of

  lead and / or coated with lead. For the same reason and for

  put an intermetallic bond between terminal 14 or others

  elements, and the connector 10, the core assembly 22 is

  encapsulated in the lead body 24. This body 24 comprises a first washer-shaped portion 34 completely surrounding the conductive ring 26. A second portion 36 of the body 24 forms the machon portion 21 and encapsulates the end 28A of the tube and the contact zone between the ring 26 and the

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  28. The body portion 36 thus encloses the tab 32 and the attachment 30 at the same time as the end of the tibe 28. In addition, the body portion 36 can, if desired, fill the inside.

  tube 28 in the region of the end 28A of this tube.

  The opposite end 28B of the tube 28 extends from the portion 36 of the body 24 and forms a socket 38 for receiving the end of the battery cable 12. A locking structure, identified as a whole by the reference

  , is associated with the end 28B of the tube so as to allow

  It is a reliable, low-resistance, removable connection with the cable 12. Preferably, the tube 28 is plated with lead so that its projecting end 28B can withstand

to corrosion.

  Blocking structure 40 includes a tubular locking member 42 in the form of a metal strip having segments 44 and 46 of overlapping ends. A tapped opening 48 radially traverses the overlapping end segments 44 and 46, and receives a locking screw 50. The wall of the tube end 28B has an opening 52 allowing the locking screw 50 to penetrate.

in the cavity 38.

  To connect the battery cable 12 to the contact portion 20 of the connector 10, the locking screw 50 is removed or loosened to enable the suitably cut end of the cable 12 to be inserted into the cavity 38. then the screw 50 to lock the end of the cable in place and to establish a reliable electrical connection with large capacity and low electrical resistance between the cable 12 and the connector 10. The connector 10 can be used

  with battery cables of different sizes or different

  It may be desirable for this purpose to use at the end of the cable a jumper or an insertion member inside the cavity 38. The connection comprising the socket 38 and the locking structure 40 , may be similar to those described and claimed in US Patent No. 3,928,058 filed November 25, 1975 by Joseph D. KINNEAR. This patent is given here for reference and may be consulted for

  a more complete description of the construction and function

electrical connection.

  The flat profile of the connector 10 has a great advantage for the use thereof. This flat profile is possible thanks to the configuration of the core assembly 22, the contact portions 18 and 20, the hub portion of the

  connector 10, and also thanks to the size and orientation

  The vertical height or thickness of the washer-shaped portion 34 delimited by its top wall 54 and its bottom wall 56 is very small. This vertical distance is smaller than the diameter of the battery terminal receiving aperture 58 delimited by the shaped portion

washer 34.

  In addition, the vertical dimension of the washer-shaped portion 34, i.e. the height of the terminal contact portion 18 of the connector 10, is shifted with respect to the necessarily greater vertical height of the portion.

  sleeve 21 and the cable contact portion 20.

  Thus, the upper wall 54 of the washer-shaped portion 34 coincides with the top wall 60 of the sleeve portion 21. The height of the washer-shaped portion 34 is preferably less than one third of the vertical height of the portion of the sleeve portion. sleeve 21 which corresponds to the height

maximum overall of connector 10.

  Because of these arrangements and the flat profile of the connector 10, there is a minimum of free space to attach the connector 10 to the battery installation 16. Although the connector 10 necessarily has an overall height

  relatively larger, it is only the height or thickness

  vertical section of the 18-pin battery terminal

  take into account when the connector 10 is mounted.

  The important advantages of connector 10 are-

  obtained when this connector is mounted on the battery installation 16. Although the connector 10 is suitable for

  installed as original equipment on a battery

  or a group of batteries, this connector is of particular interest to be used as a troubleshooting element when it is necessary to replace a cable in the field. This type of assembly is illustrated on the installation of

battery 16.

  The installation 16, illustrated in part only

  represents a typical battery installation

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  one or more branch terminals 14 with which an existing battery component 62 is associated. The element 62 could be a previously existing battery connector associated with a battery cable to be replaced. In another case the element 62 may be constituted by a link strip

  mounted between a pair of battery terminals 14.

  When the connector is mounted in original equipment, the terminal contact portion 18 of this connector is simply mounted so that the terminal 14 is housed in the opening 58 of the connector. The connector is then heated locally to obtain the wrought lead of the terminal 14 and the washer-shaped body portion 34, so as to obtain an autogenous welding. The same process can be used in an existing installation if the

  terminal 14 exceeds sufficiently above the pre-

  existing 62 or if this terminal 14 has been removed from

pre-existing battery.

  According to an important feature of the invention, it is not necessary, to mount the connector 10, to remove a pre-existing connector or element 62, nor that the existing terminal 14 protrudes above the existing element 62. Indeed , the very flat vertical profile of the connector 10 allows it to be easily mounted over an existing link or connector, and the very small increase in total height of the installation does not prevent the use of the connector 10 in tight spaces or in small battery compartments often used in the field. More specifically, and as shown in the drawings, the terminal contact portion 18 of the connector 10 may be mounted so that the flat washer-shaped portion 36 overlies an existing terminal or bar or other member 62. On the other hand the connector can be mounted in any desired position, either directly on a terminal as shown here, or at another point of the bar or

Element 62.

  To perform this assembly, the terminal contact portion 18 is placed in the correct position and is heated locally by optionally adding lead to fill the terminal receiving opening 58 of the decorps part.

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washer form 34.

  In this type of mounting, the vertical offset

  of the sleeve 21 and the cable contact portion 20 of the connector

10, is very useful.

  As the washer-shaped portion 34 is housed over an existing terminal 14 and / or element 62, there is a free space beneath the lower wall 56 in which these elements of greater vertical height

can easily come to stay.

  A major advantage of the connector 10 according to the invention is that, because of its universal mounting possibilities, it is no longer necessary to have to have a

  important game of different battery connector parts.

  It may be desirable to provide the connector 10 not only

  in the right-handed version illustrated in the figures, but also in a left-handed version in which the cavity 38 is turned in the opposite direction with respect to the sleeve portion 21. The use of these two versions of connector allows to obtain the fixation to a very

  wide variety of battery installations.

  Another important advantage of the connector 10 according to the invention appears after its initial assembly on a battery installation 16. When it is necessary later

  replace the battery cable 12n again this operation

  This is done by simply releasing the end of the cable from the cable contact portion 20 by loosening the locking structure 40. A new cable is then cut, then inserted and locked in place, so that the exchange of this cable is done quickly and easily. This avoids having to repeat the local heating and welding operations, with all the costs and risks of loss of time that

it entered.

  The connector 10 illustrated in the accompanying drawings is for mounting on a standard battery terminal 14 having a nominal diameter of 22.2 mm. In this preferred embodiment of the invention, it is possible

  use the nominal or equivalent dimensions below.

  These dimensions, which are given here by way of example,

  not be considered as limiting the invention.

  - Vertical height of the 9.5 mm-shaped portion washer 34 - Overall vertical height of the connector 10 - Diameter of the opening 58 Outer diameter of the washer-shaped portion 34 - Diameter of the sleeve 38 and inner diameter of the tube 28 - Offset of the axis of the tube 28 and the axis of 28 mm 22.2 mm 42.3 mm, 9 mm the ring 26 22.2 mm The terms "upper", "lower", "vertical" "and others, are used here to facilitate the understanding of the invention and in no way imply a limitation to the orientation shown, in the drawings of the possibilities

  orientation of the connector according to the invention.

Claims (1)

  ) Connector for battery cable, connector   characterized in that it comprises a lead body (24) partially encapsulating a copper core assembly (22), said core assembly including a ring (26) and a tube (28) in mutual contact with each other; a point on the periphery of the ring adjacent to one end of the tube, the ring (26) being in a plane generally tangential to the tube, the body (24) comprising a first washer-shaped portion (34)   0 completely enclosing the ring (26) and delimiting an opening   ture (58) for receiving the battery terminal, the thickness of said washer-shaped portion (34) being less than the inside diameter of the tube (28), the body (24) comprising a second portion (36) coming from a single piece with the first portion (34) and trapping one end of the tube (28), the other end of this tube extending from the second portion (36) of the body (24) to form a socket (38) for receive the cable (12).   Connector according to Claim 1, characterized in that the washer-shaped part and the second part of the body have a common upper wall, and in that the second part has a height greater than   double the height of the washer-shaped part.   ) Connector according to any of   Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the tube is plated lead.   ) Connector according to any of   Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the ring comprises   a tab projecting radially at the point of tangent between the periphery of the ring and the tube, to cover this tube.   ) Connector according to any of   Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it further comprises   an attachment connecting the connecting lug to the wall of the tube.   6) Connector according to any one of   Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the second part   of the body fills the inside of the end of the tube.   ) Connector according to any of   Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the second part   of the body fills the inside of the end of the tube and surrounds fixation. e he 2465324-   8) Connector according to any one of   Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it further comprises   a tubular locking element surrounding the socket and   staggered by a metal strip whose ends overlap, an opening being formed in the wall of the tube, an aligned opening radially crossing the overlapping ends,   and a locking screw passing through this opening.